tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49333065359207772632024-03-21T05:26:04.740-04:00The Water MainGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-39347450355044580322011-05-03T15:07:00.000-04:002011-05-03T15:07:27.038-04:00Deal signs reservoir bill: New law allows public-private partnershipsGov. Nathan Deal today (May 2) signed SB 122, which allows the option for public-private partnerships in the development of water supply and infrastructure. Deal signed the legislation into law during remarks to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce at Cobb Galleria.<br />
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“Providing for a stable and dependable water supply for Georgia has ranked near the top of my agenda because it’s critical to the health of our residents and to our economic development,” Deal said. “This legislation is particularly useful at times such as these when budget cutbacks hinder our ability to invest in new infrastructure. This stretches public dollars by attracting partners to move forward with public works projects that will benefit the citizens of the state for generations. The lack of funding has hampered progress, even with a punishing drought in recent memory. This legislation will help us get projects moving before the next drought. Two years ago, Georgia made structural changes that vastly improved how we go about identifying and constructing reservoirs and other essential water infrastructure. The public-private partnership gives local governments the tools they need to take advantage of those changes.”<br />
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The bill was sponsored by Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry).<br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-24879490432375729492011-04-25T11:18:00.000-04:002011-04-25T11:18:03.594-04:00Georgians want clean water, local informationMore people value water quality over water quantity, according to a recent survey conducted by University of Georgia researchers. And, they trust local water information sources over federal ones.<br />
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The study, “Water Issues in Georgia: A Survey of Public Perceptions and Attitudes about Water,” was part of a national water effort funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The goal of the larger project is to collect views on water issues from people around the country. So far, the survey has been conducted in 35 states.<br />
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The survey is “allowing us to compare states and see where we stand among states, to see our differences and similarities,” said Jason Evans, an environmental sustainability analyst with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government.<br />
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The results of the Georgia survey were slightly surprising, said UGA Cooperative Extension engineer Mark Risse. “In general, it came out in the survey that people really place an importance on clean water,” he said. “Anything that had ‘clean’ in it ranked very high.”<br />
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Of the respondents, 94 percent ranked clean drinking water as very important. Following clean drinking water was clean rivers and lakes, at 76 percent, and clean groundwater, at 75 percent.<br />
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People were less concerned with interstate water issues, which have been debated heavily in recent years with Georgia’s bordering states. Survey respondents were also optimistic about how much water their communities will have in the future. And only 22 percent believed that an adequate water supply is currently a problem.<br />
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“Around the state, most of the planning has been focused on water quantity instead of water quality,” Risse said. “Part of the state water effort is identifying shortages, but Georgians also want it to be clean.”<br />
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Federal officials were surprised to see that those surveyed prefer to get their water information from local officials. “When we asked people who they trusted, local sources were trusted more than state, and state more than federal,” Risse said.<br />
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The local finding is an important one, he said, because Cooperative Extension, through the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, “is all about giving information at the local level. This survey points out that this is exactly what we need to be doing, giving local education on water. We in Extension can do that.”<br />
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The survey results are helping Risse and others in Extension plan water education programs. They’re now focusing more on drinking water in rural areas and septic tank upkeep.<br />
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Many of the respondents were from metro areas of Georgia and therefore on city sewage, while others used septic tanks, Evans noted. Only 15 percent said they had their septic tanks cleaned every four years. When tanks aren’t cleaned regularly, solids can build up, which can clog and destroy septic tank drain fields. Fixing those problems can be expensive.<br />
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As for well water, as long as it looks clean, most respondents said they weren’t worried.<br />
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“A thing that I found a little strange and discouraging was that only 5 percent had tested their water quality,” Risse said. “The bulk of respondents were municipal, but some are on wells. People feel like they have good water, but they don’t know whether they do unless they’re testing it.”<br />
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The 59-question survey was mailed to 1,998 randomly selected Georgia households. Of those, 26 percent (519 surveys) responded.<br />
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Researchers were not surprised to find that people conserve more water when they have concrete reasons to do so. “There were people adopting low-flow faucets,” Evans said, “but when you dig in a little for more detail, things like irrigation scheduling, which was required by state law, was more widely adopted. When people are forced to, they will change their practices.”<br />
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UGA recently implemented a new program called the 40 Gallon Challenge www.40gallonchallenge.org designed to encourage greater adoption of a variety of conservation practices.<br />
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Most survey respondents viewed groundwater as higher quality than surface water. Groundwater quality received 24 percent on “good or excellent;” surface water got 10 percent; and ocean water came in last at 8 percent. Most respondents indicated they did not know.<br />
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Evans and Risse found conflicting results when it came to water pollution sources. Respondents ranked industry problems the highest at 45 percent, followed by erosion from roads and/or construction, suburban development, stormwater and then agriculture. But, in a different part of the survey, 35 percent of respondents suspected or believed that fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural sources have some impact on their local water resources.<br />
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“Georgia as a state has done a great job of managing our water resources,” Risse said. “We do have areas where water is not as clean as others. Areas where we have high population, we generally have lower quality. Ultimately, people and their practices contaminate water, and they’re really the biggest problem when it comes to impaired water.”<br />
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For more information on water in Georgia, visit www.uga.edu/water.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">By Stephanie Schupska</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">University of Georgia</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-49216143266391521212011-03-19T08:46:00.000-04:002011-03-19T08:46:48.710-04:00UGA weather monitoring network struggles to surviveThe Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network, operated by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is in jeopardy due to key faculty and funding losses. Georgia farmers depend on the network for weather, soil and water information that helps them make the quick decisions needed to efficiently produce their crops.<br />
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“Originally, it looked as though we would have to start decommissioning the 81-station network in mid-April,” said J. Scott Angle, CAES dean and director. “We have since secured some funds to give us a bit wider window to find the full funds needed to keep the network afloat.”<br />
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The network cost more than $300,000 annually to operate.<br />
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Each station in the AEMN records rainfall, air and soil temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, soil moisture and barometric pressure. Some stations record evaporation, water temperature and leaf wetness. All these values are read every second and averaged and recorded every 15 minutes on site.<br />
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The information doesn’t just help farmers. It helps a wide range of groups, including utility companies, which are the network’s heaviest users. The companies use the system to determine peak-usage times, which helps them make valuable production and billing decisions.<br />
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“The utility companies are the largest users of the network, but also reap the biggest benefits,” Angle said.<br />
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Other users include food brokers from around the world who need information about how Georgia crops are doing in order to make purchasing decisions. The system is used by event planners, golf course superintendents, schoolteachers and students, too.<br />
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For almost 20 years, anyone could use the system for free. The network website averages more than a half a million hits by over 60,000 separate visitors per month. Almost 300,000 of the hits come from within Georgia.<br />
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“Closing the system would cause serious problems for so many in the state,” Angle said. “We are doing all we can to avoid that. But, it is obvious that we will no longer be able to afford to offer this service for free.”<br />
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Angle said the college is looking at several models for making the system a sustainable service at a reasonable cost to users who need the information. In a recent discussion with Georgia commodity groups, farmers from across the state pledged support for a subscriber-based system.<br />
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“That was good to hear,” Angle said. “As growers already face high input costs this year from the rising prices of fuel and fertilizer, you hate to ask them to dip deeper into their profits to fund a service you have been providing for free. I was glad to hear they value this tool enough to want to chip in to help us keep it alive.”<br />
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Subscriptions will certainly help, Angle said, but to make the system sustainable long-term will require major contributions from organizations whose members rely on the system and have a vested interest in keeping it viable.<br />
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For regular updates about the status of the AEMN, or to learn more about it, go to the system’s website at http://www.georgiaweather.net<br />
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By J Faith Peppers<br />
University of Georgia<br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-19519260806055528342011-03-15T09:04:00.000-04:002011-03-15T09:04:23.064-04:00UGA Extension challenges Georgians to save 40 gallons of water each dayA new University of Georgia Cooperative Extension program launched this year challenges Georgians to save 40 gallons of water per day. The 40-Gallon Challenge allows Georgians to compete against other Americans who are taking the challenge in their states.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpngUoXKFkDrpuJKpRlP9UF2-2Y3mzsgEGOAXsNP348Er-EasLrbxucbjO0YFre005DWJL2Cm14b0UubulA_W8OLWiNAmIbTH2G5TJ0a1RoKnHjCkF0QTeaB_oFvvNObrK9Mk-yiZMuJy/s1600/40galstickerlr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpngUoXKFkDrpuJKpRlP9UF2-2Y3mzsgEGOAXsNP348Er-EasLrbxucbjO0YFre005DWJL2Cm14b0UubulA_W8OLWiNAmIbTH2G5TJ0a1RoKnHjCkF0QTeaB_oFvvNObrK9Mk-yiZMuJy/s320/40galstickerlr.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
At the program’s website, www.40gallonchallenge.org, Georgians can pledge to adopt water-saving practices and see how many gallons of water they can expect to save.<br />
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The website also shows the most popular practices being pledged, the pledged practices that are saving the most water daily, and counties and states that are pledging the most daily savings.<br />
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“It is our chance to see how we stack up,” said Paul Pugliese, the UGA Extension agent in Cherokee County, where the program was piloted in 2008. “You’ll learn how to save water as you take the pledge.<br />
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For example, shortening your daily shower by two minutes will save eight gallons per day. Repairing a leaky faucet will save 15 gallons per day. And replacing an old toilet with a new low-flush one will save eight gallons per day.”<br />
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By following the tips on the 40-Gallon Challenge website, anyone can save money on their water bills, too.<br />
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To start saving water and take the challenge, go to the website and complete the checklist of water-saving practices. The checklist includes both indoor and outdoor water-saving tips.<br />
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“Less than 1 percent of the Earth’s water is fresh water available for drinking, bathing, cleaning, cooking, manufacturing and growing agricultural crops,” Pugliese said. “From a global perspective, demands for fresh water will double every 20 years as the world population continues to grow. Saving water is the right thing to do for us and for future generations.”<br />
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For more information on the 40-Gallon Challenge and how to participate in your county, contact your local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.<br />
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By Sharon Dowdy<br />
University of Georgia<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image Credit: Dana Mays </span><br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-26841252702861328402011-01-12T09:40:00.000-05:002011-01-12T09:40:04.234-05:00Local Experts Warn About Frozen Pipe DisastersNothing drains your wallet and gives your New Year a soggy start like coming home to a house full of water. According to Insurance industry experts, the average homeowner insurance claim for water damage and freezing is nearly $6,000, making frozen pipes one of the most costly problems facing homeowners every winter.<br />
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Come wintertime, homeowners can take simple precautions to keep the pipes intact and avoid pouring thousands of dollars into home repairs. <br />
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“Homeowners will plan every detail of a weekend trip when they’re headed out of town, but they often don’t think to prepare to prevent their pipes from freezing,” says Jeff Dudan, CEO and founder of AdvantaClean, a national water damage restoration company serving the local area. “Even in warm weather climates, there are measures you should take to protect your home from water damage when a cold snap hits.”<br />
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Consider This:<br />
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Second only to hurricanes, frozen and broken water pipes cause more losses in terms of the number of homes damaged and the total amount of claims paid by insurance companies nationwide than any other issue.<br />
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According to a 2006 issue of the Insurance Journal, every year, approximately a quarter-million homes and offices in the United States, have at least one room damaged by a frozen pipe, and a decade of these insurance claims have cost more than $4 billion.<br />
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What Can Homeowners do to Protect Their Property?<br />
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Ensure water tanks and pipes are insulated. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are more vulnerable to freezing.<br />
Let the water run! Letting both hot and cold lines of a faucet drip in the extreme cold can prevent a pipe from bursting. A running faucet relieves pressure between the faucet and the ice. No pressure means no bursting.<br />
Keep bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors open during a cold spell to let warm air circulate around the pipes.<br />
Seal any leaks in your home, attic, basement or crawlspace that might allow cold air inside where pipes are located.<br />
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“If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe,” Dudan says. “Keep the faucet running and apply heat to the frozen section of pipe until full water pressure is restored. If you’re unable to locate or access the frozen area, call a licensed plumber. You’ll also want to check all of the other faucets in your home. If one pipe freezes, others may too.”<br />
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Protect Yourself Before You Go:<br />
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While traveling out of town during the winter months when the temperature is expected to drop, take the following precautions to reduce the risk of coming back to burst pipes and a soggy home.<br />
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Always keep your thermostat at 55 degrees or higher. Lowering your heat might save you some pennies on the heating bill, but you could end up paying a much bigger price when you return home. <br />
Drain your water system before you leave town. To drain the system, shut off the main valve and turn on all water fixtures (cold and hot) until the water stops running. When you return, turn on the main valve and let each fixture run until water comes out and pressure returns.<br />
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“One of the most important things every member of your household should know is how to shut off the water main,” Dudan says. “If a pipe bursts, quick action will minimize the damage and prevent wet and flooded crawlspaces and basements from becoming a breeding ground for mold.”<br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-53602596937408192872011-01-07T10:26:00.000-05:002011-01-07T10:26:17.939-05:00ADA Applauds HHS Action on Recommended Fluoride Level in Drinking Water/PRNewswir/ -- The American Dental Association (ADA) today commended the Federal agencies responsible for public health and safety for recalibrating the ratio of fluoride to water that they consider optimal based on scientific evaluation and the full appreciation of fluoride received from all sources.<br />
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As a science-based organization, the ADA supports the Department of Health and Human Services' recommendation to set the level for optimally fluoridated water at 0.7 parts per million. This adjustment will provide an effective level of fluoride to reduce the incidence of tooth decay while minimizing the rate of fluorosis in the general population.<br />
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"This is a superb example of a government agency fulfilling its mission to protect and enhance the health of the American people," said ADA President Dr. Raymond F. Gist, DDS. "We have always looked to the federal health agencies to guide us on this and other public health matters, and we will continue to do so. We applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for reaffirming the safety and efficacy of optimal community water fluoridation, with science on their side."<br />
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The ADA will continue working with federal and state governments and other stakeholders to educate people about the health benefits of optimally fluoridated drinking water. The Association strongly urges communities that already are doing so to continue fluoridating water at the levels the government recommends as safe and optimal. Communities among the minority that still do not already optimally fluoridate their municipal water systems now should act on the government's reaffirmation and, more than ever, do so. People who live in non-fluoridated communities should talk to their dentists about other ways to enjoy the health benefits of fluoride, such as supplements or topical applications. <br />
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"Dentistry has succeeded in preventing disease better than any other area of health care," said Dr. Gist. "Water fluoridation is one of our most potent weapons in disease prevention, and we want as many people as possible to have the benefits of this simple, safe, inexpensive and proven health care measure.<br />
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"The ADA has long advocated for all Americans to have the best possible oral health. The recommended levels for optimal fluoridation may be reduced, but the health benefits of fluoridation remain. The only real, known health risk is the dramatic increased levels of disease that are likely to afflict people without access to optimally fluoridated water."<br />
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Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-2775319519216428652011-01-06T15:57:00.002-05:002011-01-06T15:57:50.837-05:00Canada’s Oil Sands Are The Largest Supplier Of Oil To The USACanada’s oil sands are the largest supplier of oil to the USA and the Athabasca region alone is estimated to contain 870 billion to 1.3 trillion barrels of oil. <br />
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Operators are increasingly moving towards in situ methods for extraction to harness the potential of oil sands productions and require large amounts of water for the production of steam to reduce the viscosity of the bitumen. It is vital that the oil sands producers work together to cost-effectively minimize water usage and improve recyclability. In the wake of this realization, senior decision makers form accross the industry will be meeting in Calgarry in 3 weeks time. <br />
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The Oil Sands Water Management Initiative 2011 will take place on the 26-27th January and is the only event where the leading oil sands producers themselves provide solutions to the specific water management challenges in situ oil sands producers are facing. They will be breaking down water management solutions at every stage of production including sourcing, treating, recycling and disposing of water resources. <br />
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Industry Experts Include: <br />
Brian Doucette, Director Of Environmental Excellence, Suncor<br />
Peter Sametz, President & COO, Connacher<br />
Chris Bloomer, COO, Petrobank<br />
Calvin Watson, General Manager Thermal Heavy Oil, Devon<br />
Mike Baker, Manager Of Environment & Regulatory Compliance, Shell<br />
Vincent Saubestre, Manager Technology and R&D, Total<br />
Ed Koshka, Vice President Engineering, Marketing & Infrastructure, Ivanhoe<br />
K.C. Yeung, Manager Of Oil Sands Technology, Husky<br />
Bruce McGee, President & CEO, E-T Energy<br />
Margaret Klebek, Senior Hydrogeologist, Alberta Environment <br />
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Steve Tipton, from the global leading shale gas operator Newfield Exploration, will be offering transferable lessons from their success and experience with management of water resources offering new methods, strategies and techniques that can be utilised to drive down costs and minimize water usage. <br />
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The Oil Sands Water Management Initiative will bring together the experience and solutions from the leading oil sands operators in order to minimize water usage at every stage of production. <br />
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If you are interested in the future production of oil sands resources, join us January 26 – 27, 2011 at the Calgary Convention Centre. <br />
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Further Information can be found at: <a href="http://clickandsend.e-levation.net/t/r/l/wtyvy/oluuddib/y">www.oil-sands-water-management.com</a>Georgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-40448567916056943592010-12-20T14:57:00.000-05:002010-12-20T14:57:09.972-05:00Proposed Water Transfer Rule Doesn’t Go Far Enough to Protect State’s Rivers, CommunitiesWater diversions from Georgia rivers that impact more than half the state’s population may continue without proper oversight from state environmental regulators if a proposed rule presented to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources Board (DNR Board) is implemented, according to advocates with the state’s leading water protection groups.<br />
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On Tuesday, Dec. 7, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) presented proposed changes to state rules governing water withdrawals involving interbasin transfers—the process of removing water from one river and using it and/or discharging it to another river.<br />
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The practice is particularly controversial because transfers can harm the health of rivers and reduce economic development potential in downstream communities.<br />
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EPD is now accepting public comments on the rule through close of business Jan. 10 and is expected to present a final version of the proposal to the Board at its Jan. 26 meeting.<br />
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“The proposed rule is a positive step forward. It includes specific criteria that should be evaluated before EPD allows an interbasin transfer. Unfortunately, the language in the rule does not require that EPD evaluate those criteria,” said Joe Cook, Executive Director of the Coosa River Basin Initiative in Rome, a member of the statewide Georgia Water Coalition. “It only regulates water transfers if EPD chooses to do so.”<br />
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At issue is one word in the rule: “should.” Currently, the rule reads that EPD “should” evaluate interbasin transfer criteria that are part of the State Water Plan adopted by the General Assembly and Governor in 2008. These criteria encourage EPD to consider, among other things, the availability of other water supplies, the effectiveness of a community’s water conservation program and the impacts of the transfer during drought conditions before allowing an interbasin transfer.<br />
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“These criteria are good, but the use of the word “should” is the equivalent of encouraging your child to clean up their room,” said Juliet Cohen, an attorney with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper who spoke on behalf of the Coalition at the Board meeting. “If I want my children to clean up their rooms, I tell them they MUST clean up their rooms. For this rule to have any legal teeth, “should” needs to be replaced with “shall.”<br />
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During the 2010 General Assembly session, 22 senators and 67 representatives sponsored legislation that mimicked the proposed rule currently before the DNR Board. That bill required EPD to evaluate the interbasin transfer criteria outlined in the State Water Plan. The measure died when legislative leaders refused hear the bills in committee.<br />
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The timing of the proposed rule appears to be an effort to preclude legislative action during the 2011 session, according to the Coalition. EPD Director Allen Barnes has stated his preference to address interbasin transfer rules through the DNR Board rather than through the General Assembly.<br />
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Interbasin transfers occur in 28 Georgia counties, impacting 5.5 million people in those counties. Millions more downstream may be impacted by these water diversions. About 90 percent of the state’s water transfers occur in Metro Atlanta. Most of the water is diverted from the Chattahoochee, Coosa and Flint rivers.<br />
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Water transfers in the Flint River basin, are in large part responsible for a 60 percent reduction in low flows since the early 70s. Return of those water diversions to the Flint would improve flows by as much as 50 percent. Canoe and kayak outfitters on the Flint lost nearly 4,000 customers as a result of low flows during the 2010 paddling season.<br />
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The Chattahoochee loses 48 million gallons per day and the Coosa loses 10 million gallons per day.<br />
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“Communities downstream from Metro Atlanta are looking for help from state regulators; they want to know that their water interests are being considered,” said Cook. “The criteria outlined in the proposed rule should provide those assurances, but only if the rule requires that EPD consider the criteria.”<br />
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Twitter: @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-19760344652750554862010-11-28T09:29:00.000-05:002010-11-28T09:29:07.791-05:00Drought covers most of GeorgiaDrought conditions have expanded over the past three months to include most of Georgia. The major exceptions are north-central and northeast Georgia, where conditions are rated as abnormally dry. Additionally, Bibb, Crawford, Macon, Peach and Houston counties are classified as being abnormally dry.<br />
<br />
During the late summer and fall, Georgia depends on tropical weather to bring much-needed rain. This fall has been very dry with most of the state receiving less than 70 percent of normal rain. Many locations in the coastal plain and coastal Georgia have received 50 percent or less of normal rain over the past three months.<br />
<br />
Soil moisture conditions along the Georgia coast into southeast Georgia are near the 1st percentile for this time of year. Being at the first percentile, we would expect more moisture in the soils in these areas 99 out of 100 years.<br />
<br />
Also, the Okefenokee Swamp is very dry.<br />
<br />
Seasonally adjusted stream flows are slowly declining across the state. Stream flows respond to drought more slowly than soil moisture. The bountiful rain that Georgia experienced last winter and spring has helped to keep stream flows near normal for most of the fall. However, in recent weeks the dryness is starting to show in decreased stream flows. Flows are particularly low in northwest Georgia, where most streams are at the 10th percentile or lower, meaning stream flows would be greater 90 out of 100 years in this area.<br />
<br />
Wildfire risks have increased across the state due to dry conditions and falling leaves. Anyone outdoors should be cautious when using equipment that can cause sparks. Special vigilance is needed with any outdoor fires. Check with the local fire department or the Georgia Forestry Commission concerning restrictions and outdoor burn permits.<br />
<br />
Georgia depends on winter and spring rains combined with cool temperatures to recharge soil moisture, groundwater, streams and reservoirs. The fall and spring climate outlooks do not hold much promise for drought recovery. Climatic conditions are expected to be warmer than normal and drier than normal through the spring.<br />
<br />
Georgia should see some improvement in soil moisture and stream flow conditions in early spring since moisture loss due to evaporation and plant water use is lower during cool months. This improvement in moisture can be misleading. Relative to normal recharge during this period and this winter is expected to be limited.<br />
<br />
Up-to-date information on dry conditions across Georgia can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Updated weather conditions can be found at www.georgiaweather.net.<br />
<br />
By David E. Stooksbury <br />
University of Georgia <br />
-----<br />
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Twitter: @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-8886856517238163652010-11-19T09:34:00.000-05:002010-11-19T09:34:21.449-05:00GEFA Approves Environmental Infrastructure Projects Totaling $6.9 Million for Seven Georgia CommunitiesAs part of Governor Sonny Perdue’s vision for sustainable economic development, the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) announced yesterday the approval of financing for seven environmental infrastructure projects totaling $6,9 million. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and wastewater system infrastructure improvements for the Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA), and the cities of Commerce, Jasper, Marshallville, Poulan, Ringgold and Thomasville. <br />
<br />
“Investment in our state’s water infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.” <br />
<br />
“The water programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Kevin Clark. “Financing water projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.” <br />
<br />
Clark expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue and to the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success. <br />
<br />
“GEFA financing for water infrastructure helps communities in all areas of the state,” said J.C. Warren, acting chairman of the GEFA board of directors and member of the Screven County Board of Commissioners. “The projects that we agreed to finance today demonstrate that GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.” <br />
<br />
GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low-interest loans. <br />
<br />
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction. <br />
<br />
The Georgia Fund is a state-funded program administered by GEFA for water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure projects. The program has maximum flexibility and accessibility, and offers fast loan and grant approvals. The Georgia Fund provides loans and grants to local governments for projects such as water and sewer lines, treatment plants, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks and water meters. Low-interest loans from this program are available up to $3 million. <br />
<br />
Below are details of the loans approved: <br />
<br />
City of Commerce<br />
The city of Commerce was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $575,000 to finance leak detection equipment, leak repairs and the replacement of old water meters. The city of Commerce will pay three percent interest on the one-year loan for $575,000. As a green project, 50 percent of the principal amount drawn will be forgiven. The 2010 DWSRF program guidelines direct the states to reserve 20 percent of the DWSRF funding for projects that address water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally-innovative activities. <br />
<br />
Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA) <br />
<br />
Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $2,652,000 to finance water main construction. HCWSA will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan for $2,652,000 with 30 percent of the principal amount drawn to be forgiven. <br />
<br />
City of Jasper <br />
<br />
The city of Jasper was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $700,000 to finance a new 500,000 gallon elevated water tank and the installation of a water line along a portion of Georgia Highway 515. The city of Jasper will pay 3.81 percent interest on the 20-year loan for $700,000. The balance of the project, $300,000, will be provided in the form of an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. <br />
<br />
City of Marshallville <br />
<br />
The city of Marshallville was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $311,484 to finance a new water filtration system. The city of Marshallville will pay 3.81 percent interest on the 15-year loan for $311,484. <br />
<br />
City of Poulan <br />
<br />
The city of Poulan was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $400,000 to finance water main construction to improve flow and pressure in the city’s water system. The city of Poulan will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan for $400,000, with $107,337 in principal forgiveness. <br />
<br />
City of Ringgold <br />
<br />
The city of Ringgold was approved for a Georgia Fund Sewer Grant of $29,335.68 to finance construction of a sanitary sewer system that will serve 65 mobile home lots. The total project cost is $652,775, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs providing $500,000 in a Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) and the city of Ringgold providing $123,439.32 in local funds. <br />
<br />
City of Thomasville <br />
<br />
The city of Thomasville was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $2,250,000 to finance purchasing and replacing water meters and a GIS asset and work management system. The city of Thomasville will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan for $2,250,000 the total amount of the project. As a green project, 50 percent of the principal drawn will be forgiven. The 2010 DWSRF program guidelines direct the states to reserve 20 percent of the DWSRF funding for projects that address water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally-innovative activities. <br />
<br />
Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a> or call (404) 584-1000. <br />
<br />
<i>About the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (<a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a>) </i><br />
<i>The <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">Georgia Environmental Finance Authority</a> (GEFA) provides energy, land and water resources resulting in an improved quality of life for today and future generations. GEFA is the lead agency for state energy programs and is home to the Center of Innovation for Energy; directs the Georgia Land Conservation Program and maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure. Since 1985, GEFA has approved financial commitments totaling more than $3 billion to local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a>.</i>Georgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-10138997172857772462010-10-11T11:25:00.000-04:002010-10-11T11:25:43.560-04:00Georgia Water Coalition Commercial Calls Voter Attention to Important Water IssuesToday the Georgia Water Coalition launched television commercials aimed at educating Georgia voters about an important issue facing Georgia: water. The commercial calls attention to water waste in metro Atlanta and calls on voters to ask gubernatorial candidates how clean water can be assured for all Georgians.<br />
<br />
“When it comes to water, it’s high time metro Atlanta becomes accountable for its own water needs and stops relying on the rest of Georgia for their water, especially when the metro area has too many leaks and not enough conservation,” said Gordon Rogers, the Flint Riverkeeper and member of the Georgia Water Coalition. “Already, metro Atlanta moves hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day among four major river basins, drying up certain portions of Georgia beyond reasonable use. As Georgia voters, we need to ask the candidates for Governor ‘How will metro Atlanta be held accountable?’ and ‘Who will protect our water?’”<br />
<br />
For many years, metropolitan Atlanta has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. This growth has placed increasing pressure on Georgia’s finite water supply, and our next governor will likely face the long-running "Tri-State Water War" between Georgia, Florida and Alabama head-on once he gets into office.<br />
<br />
The water war reached a new level on July 17, 2009, when U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that metro Atlanta was illegally using Lake Lanier for water supply. Judge Magnuson gave Georgia three years to reach a water sharing agreement with Alabama and Florida that would include the use of Lanier as a drinking water supply. Without that agreement, the taps could literally be shut off to portions of metro Atlanta. When the new governor takes office, he will have only 18 months to solve this dilemma.<br />
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Governor Perdue last year appointed a task force to identify potential sources of water in light of the ruling, and that task force considered water transfers to metro Atlanta from other locations like Lake Burton, Lake Hartwell, the Tennessee River basin, Lake Jackson, and South Georgia groundwater.<br />
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While the Task Force did not recommend any of these solutions because of their financial and political costs, metro Atlanta is already supporting its expanding development with immense transfers of water that would have flowed to downstream communities if not diverted. Cartersville and Rome in the Coosa River basin lose an estimated 13 million gallons per day (MGD) through a water transfer that supports metro Atlanta’s growth. LaGrange, West Point and Columbus, downstream from Atlanta on the Chattahoochee, lose an estimated 48 MGD; and Flint River communities like Thomaston, Oglethorpe and Albany lose around 10 MGD. On the Flint River, at Thomaston, this amounts to nearly 50% of the present-day low flow.<br />
<br />
On the Flint, these transfers are already impacting water levels. Low flows in the upper Flint basin have been eroded by 60% since the 1970s, with as much as half of this attributable to interbasin water transfers alone, according to an analysis by the Flint Riverkeeper. The organization estimates that modern-day low flows could be improved by almost 50% if existing transfers of water were returned.<br />
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The 48 MGD transfer from the Chattahoochee is enough to supply the current daily demands of the downstream communities in Newnan, LaGrange, and Columbus combined, according to the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.<br />
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In the Coosa basin, reductions in water transfers show that aggressive water conservation measures can help protect downstream communities. Transfers from the Coosa basin to metro Atlanta peaked in 2002 at 38 MGD, but have since declined steadily. During the drought year of 2008, water conservation efforts and drought-related watering restrictions kept the average monthly transfer below 18 MGD.<br />
<br />
“This is the kind of success story we want to see more of from metro Atlanta,” said Joe Cook, Upper Coosa Riverkeeper. “It shows that if metro Atlanta gets serious about conservation, they can live within their means and protect water supplies for all Georgia communities like Rome, Albany and Columbus.”<br />
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“What has happened on the Coosa can happen on the Flint and Chattahoochee, too”, said Rogers. “Metro Atlanta has already demonstrated it can be more efficient, and share the water more equitably. We support these efforts, and want the next Governor to do all he can to move this ball down the field to a goal line of ‘no unreasonable impacts’ on downstream communities.”<br />
<br />
Estimates show that metro Atlanta could save between 120 and 200 mgd by implementing water efficiency and conservation measures. Click here for a fact sheet with details on how. The commercial directs viewers to the “No Water Grabs” website where they can sign a petition asking the Governor to ensure any current and future interbasin transfers of water protect our natural resources and our economic future.<br />
<br />
The television commercial is broadcasting in southwest Georgia over the next week, and is being broadcast over the internet on Georgia Water Coalition partners’ websites, YouTube, e-mail communications, and social networking sites.<br />
<br />
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Twitter: @FayetteFPGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-4180442946790255612010-09-15T10:34:00.000-04:002010-09-15T10:34:43.842-04:00Nation Urged to Take Action to Head off Looming Freshwater Crisis/PRNewswire/ -- Citing a looming freshwater crisis that could affect the nation's economy, the livability of our communities and the health of our ecosystems, a diverse coalition of businesses, farmers, environmental not-for-profits and government agencies today issued a landmark call to action aimed at heading off a national crisis in water quality and supply.<br />
<br />
"Charting New Waters: A Call to Action to Address U.S. Freshwater Challenges," is the culmination of an intensive two-year collaboration exploring solutions to U.S. freshwater challenges. It was presented to the Obama Administration at a meeting of federal agencies convened by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and released to the public during a noon forum at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.<br />
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"There was broad consensus among participants that our current path will, unless changed, lead us to a national freshwater crisis in the foreseeable future," the Call to Action reports. "This reality encompasses a wide array of challenges ... that collectively amount to a tenuous trajectory for the future of the nation's freshwater resources."<br />
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The report identifies serious challenges to the quality and supply of freshwater, such as pollution and scarcity; competing urban, rural and ecosystem water needs; climate change; environmental and public health impacts; and a variety of economic implications. The document offers actions to confront these threats and a plan to ensure that our freshwater resources are secure for the 21st century.<br />
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While a great deal of progress has been made since landmark freshwater legislation in the 1970s, many freshwater challenges persist, the report says. It sees some as acute and obvious, such as severe droughts and broken water mains. Others are characterized as more subtle and chronic, building quietly over the years - such as endocrine disrupting chemicals in rivers and drinking water and the slow but steady depletion of aquifers and declining snowpack in parts of the country.<br />
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The document is believed to be the first such comprehensive, cross-sector examination of U.S. freshwater challenges and solutions. It represents consensus recommendations of diverse interests convened by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread in Racine, Wisconsin.<br />
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Reliable freshwater supplies are an essential underpinning of U.S. economic security, with energy generation, manufacturing, food production and many activities of daily life dependent on access to freshwater, the report says. It notes that an estimated 41 percent of U.S. freshwater withdrawals are for thermoelectric power generation, primarily coal, nuclear and natural gas; 37 percent go toward irrigated agriculture.<br />
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"For too long, our society has treated water as a cheap, non-strategic and infinitely available resource. Not anymore. Threats to water quality and access are putting our businesses, communities and way of life in jeopardy. The time to act is now," said S. Curtis Johnson, chairman of Diversey Inc., a leading global provider of cleaning and hygiene solutions to the institutional marketplace and co-signer of the Call to Action.<br />
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The document proposes a series of shared actions across sectors to ensure sustainable and resilient freshwater resources so that we have the ability to absorb changes, sudden or otherwise, through flexible water management strategies.<br />
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The Call to Action's recommendations include a range of freshwater management strategies to head off a potential crisis, such as streamlining and better coordinating fragmented governance among federal, state and local jurisdictions. Another key need identified in the report is modernizing our freshwater regulatory framework, developed in the 1970s to deal with the acute environmental issues of that era.<br />
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"For decades, U.S. water strategy has been cobbled together from diverse, incomplete, and sometimes conflicting policies. We can no longer afford to manage our water that way. The good news is that smart, effective, and innovative solutions to the nation's water problems exist and can be implemented. That's what this report recommends," said Dr. Peter Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, one of the nation's leading water scientists and a co-signer of the Call to Action.<br />
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The report also calls for better accounting of the full cost of services delivered by municipal water and wastewater utilities and sharing this information with consumers. Revised pricing structures that more accurately reflect the full cost of services could be one step toward financing badly needed upgrades to U.S. water and wastewater systems.<br />
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"Freshwater is our most precious resource and the lifeblood of our economy - industry, agriculture and energy generation all depend heavily on adequate supplies of freshwater. Water quality in our natural and municipal freshwater systems is vital to the health and livability of our communities," said Helen Johnson-Leipold, chairman of The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. "The Foundation and its many partners in this collaboration offer the Call to Action as a means of bringing overdue attention to our nation's freshwater challenges and sparking action to address them."<br />
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A leading representative of the agriculture community commended the process that led to today's announcement.<br />
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"It's enabled a range of participants who seldom engage each other to arrive at some potentially significant and effective recommendations, such as those regarding water quality and the Farm Bill, guidelines for the work and composition of the proposed Freshwater Commission, and emphasis on the importance of local and state leadership in developing co- beneficial solutions based on sound data in local watersheds," said Ray Gaesser, past president of the Iowa Soybean Association and co-signer of the Call to Action.<br />
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In addition to signing onto the Call to Action, the parties in this groundbreaking initiative also made commitments as individual organizations to take actions to address freshwater challenges. For additional information about these commitments and the Call to Action, or to learn more about The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, please visit www.johnsonfdn.org.<br />
<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-50821649902084759662010-08-22T08:25:00.000-04:002010-08-22T08:25:23.893-04:00Waterborne Diseases Could Cost over $500 Million Annually in U.S.Hospitalizations for three common waterborne diseases cost the health care system as much as $539 million annually, according to research presented last month at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.<br />
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"These cost data highlight that water-related diseases pose not only a physical burden to the thousands of people sickened by them each year, but also a substantial burden in health care costs, including direct government payments through Medicare and Medicaid," says Michael Beach of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an author of the study.<br />
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Currently, there are no well-documented data on the total health care costs associated with all waterborne diseases. However, using data from a large insurance claims database between 2004 and 2007, Beach and his colleagues estimated the hospitalization cost of three common waterborne diseases in the United States: Legionnaires' disease, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. For each case of disease, they calculated the cost paid by the insurer, the out-of-pocket cost to the patient, and the total amount paid.<br />
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Total estimated costs for hospitalization for the three diseases was $154-539 million, including $44-147 million in direct government payments for Medicare and Medicaid. Estimated annual costs for the individual diseases were: giardiasis, $16-63 million; cryptosporidiosis, $37-145 million; and Legionnaires' disease, $101-321 million.<br />
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Inpatient hospitalization costs per case averaged more than $34,000 for Legionnaires' disease, approximately $9,000 for giardiasis and more than $21,000 for cryptosporidiosis.<br />
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"When people think about these diseases, they usually think of a simple case of diarrhea, which is a nuisance but quickly goes away. However, these infections can cause severe illness that often result in hospital stays of more than a week, which can quickly drive up health care costs," Beach says. <br />
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Other symptoms can include rashes, eye and ear infections and respiratory or neurological symptoms and can even be fatal.<br />
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Modest investments in preventing these diseases could lead to reduced disease and significant healthcare cost savings, Beach says. Some examples of possible, low-cost interventions include public education campaigns, appropriate maintenance of building water systems, and regular inspection of pools and other recreational water facilities. <br />
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---Georgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-3841675419407842042010-07-22T10:09:00.000-04:002010-07-22T10:09:27.220-04:00Abnormally dry conditions return to parts of GeorgiaFollowing a wet winter and early spring, Georgia’s summer has been generally hot and dry. Much of northwest, north-central, southwest, east and coastal Georgia are abnormally dry. Over the past month, less than half of normal rainfall has fallen in some of these areas.<br />
<br />
Over the past two months, many areas in Georgia have received only 70 percent of normal rainfall. For this month through July 19, Athens has received 42 percent, Augusta at Bush Field 29 percent, Columbus 44 percent and Savannah 44 percent of normal rainfall.<br />
<br />
Counties in northwest and north-central Georgia currently classified as abnormally dry are Haralson, Polk, Bartow, Cherokee, north-Fulton, Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin and Union, inclusive.<br />
<br />
In southwest Georgia, counties classified as abnormally dry are Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Crisp, Lee, Dougherty, Baker, Decatur, Grady, Thomas and Brooks, inclusive.<br />
<br />
In coastal and east Georgia, counties classified as abnormally dry are Madison, Elbert, Clarke, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Lincoln, Taliaferro, Warren, McDuffie, Columbia, Richmond, Burke, Wilcox, Ben Hill, Dodge, Telfair, Laurens, Wheeler, Montgomery, Treutlen, Emanuel, Jenkins, Candler, Evans, Screven, Bulloch, Effingham, Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Wayne, Glynn, Brantley and Camden.<br />
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Exceptions to the drying trend include much of the central and west piedmont and the north-central and south-central coastal plain. Atlanta has received 102 percent of normal rain over the past month. Macon has received 234 percent of normal rain over the past month.<br />
<br />
With temperatures remaining in the 90s and low 100s with little or no rain, soils statewide will continue to dry. This will lead to increased plant stress.<br />
<br />
As of late July, stream flows and reservoir layers are near normal to above normal across the state. Water resources are anticipated to be near normal over the next few months.<br />
<br />
The ocean-atmosphere system has switched into a La Niña pattern. According to the Florida State University’s Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, the La Niña pattern increases the likelihood that the East Coast will experience a land-falling tropical system compared to normal. If an active tropical storm season develops as forecasted, dry conditions could be relieved by summer and fall tropical systems.<br />
<br />
However, the La Niña pattern is associated with dry and warm winters across much of the Southeast. This means that we may have minimal recharge of the hydrologic system this winter. This increases the probability of widespread and significant drought for next year. It is too early to tell exactly how the La Niña pattern will impact Georgia, but we need to be aware of the possible short-term tropical impacts and the long-term drought impacts.<br />
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Up-to-date information on dry conditions across Georgia can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Updated weather conditions can be found at www.georgiaweather.net.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By David E. Stooksbury <br />
University of Georgia <br />
<br />
------<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-64308454062871990312010-07-21T19:51:00.002-04:002010-07-21T19:51:53.959-04:00Governor Announces $4.2 Million in Water and Sewer Infrastructure Projects for Three Georgia CommunitiesGovernor Sonny Perdue announced today that the GEFA executive committee approved the financing for three environmental infrastructure projects totaling $4.2 million. The executive committee approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure improvements for the city of Dublin, Nicholson Water Authority in Jackson County and Oconee County. <br />
<br />
“Investment in our state’s water and sewer infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources, and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.” <br />
<br />
“The water, sewer and solid waste programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water, sewer and solid waste projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.” <br />
<br />
Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue and to the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success. <br />
<br />
“GEFA financing for water, sewer and solid waste infrastructure helps communities in all areas of the state,” said Gerald Thompson, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Fitzgerald. “The projects that we agreed to finance today demonstrate that GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.” <br />
<br />
GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low-interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction. <br />
<br />
Below are details of the loans approved today: <br />
<br />
City of Dublin <br />
<br />
The city of Dublin was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $2,040,000 to finance replacing and repairing sanitary sewer line and approximately 50 manholes. The city will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan for $2,040,000. The total project cost is $2,400,000 with the city receiving $360,000 in principal forgiveness. <br />
<br />
Nicholson Water Authority <br />
<br />
The Nicholson Water Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $700,000 to finance new wells and well rehabilitation; replacing a water main; storage improvements; installing new meters, including reading and billing software; and training. The Authority will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan for $700,000. The total project cost is $1,000,000, with the Authority receiving $300,000 in principal forgiveness. <br />
<br />
Oconee County <br />
<br />
Oconee County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $1,530,000 to finance replacing sewer pipe, deteriorating manholes, and an aging pump station to eliminate leaks in the system. The County will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $1,800,000, with Oconee County receiving $270,000 in principal forgiveness. <br />
<br />
Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a> or call (404) 584-1000. <br />
<br />
<i>About the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (<a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a>) </i><br />
<i>The <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">Georgia Environmental Finance Authority</a> (GEFA) provides energy, land and water resources resulting in an improved quality of life for today and future generations. GEFA is the lead agency for state energy programs and is home to the Center of Innovation for Energy; directs the Georgia Land Conservation Program and maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure. Since 1985, GEFA has approved financial commitments totaling more than $2 billion to local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.gefa.org/">www.gefa.org</a>.</i>Georgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-66318215170272612562010-07-15T13:16:00.000-04:002010-07-15T13:16:25.512-04:00Summertime heat hits Georgia hardThe heat was on in Georgia in June. And pop-up thunderstorms scattered rainfall and wind damage across the state.<br />
<br />
Temperatures were warmer than normal everywhere across the state. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 81.4 degrees F (4.6 degrees above normal), in Athens 80.6 degrees (4.3 degrees above normal), Columbus 82.7 degrees (3.5 degrees above normal), Macon 82 degrees (4 degrees above normal), Savannah 83.6 degrees (4.8 degrees above normal), Brunswick 82.9 degrees (3.5 degrees above normal), Alma 82.3 degrees (3 degrees above normal), Valdosta 83 degrees (4.6 degrees above normal) and Augusta 82.8 degrees (5.3 degrees above normal).<br />
<br />
Soaring into the 100s<br />
<br />
Record-high minimum temperatures were set in Savannah and Augusta June 14. The 102 degrees in Savannah beat the old record of 100 set in 1921. The 103-degree measurement in Augusta surpassed the old record of 101 set in 2000. Augusta also had a record daily high temperature June 15 with 104 degrees, breaking the old record of 100 set in 1971.<br />
<br />
Atlanta recorded its highest June average minimum temperature since records started at the airport in 1928. The average daytime high was the seventh hottest. It was the area's second hottest June, beat only by June 1952.<br />
<br />
Rainfall above and below normal<br />
<br />
Parts of the state received above-normal rainfall. However, almost half the state experienced below-normal precipitation, particularly in a narrow band along the coast and in the northwestern third of the state.<br />
<br />
The highest monthly rainfall total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 8.78 inches in Alma (3.29 inches above normal). The lowest was in Brunswick at 1.42 inches (3.63 inches below normal). Valdosta received 4.52 inches (.84 inch below normal), Macon 5.73 inches (2.19 inches above normal), Athens 4.55 inches (.61 inch above normal), Atlanta 5.21 inches (1.58 inches above normal), Columbus 2.45 inches (1.06 inches below normal), Savannah 5.79 inches (.30 inch above normal) and Augusta 2.19 inches (2 inches below normal).<br />
<br />
Record daily rainfalls were set in Alma on June 4 and June 30. June 4, Alma received 1.05 inches, surpassing the old record of .85 inch set in 1995. June 30, Alma received 1.39 inches, eliminating the old record of .96 inch set in 1999.<br />
<br />
The highest single-day rainfall from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network stations was 5.13 inches near Manor in Ware County in southeast Georgia June 30. An observer in Tift County received 4.25 inches that day. The highest monthly rainfall total in June was 10.09 inches from an observer northeast of Pearson in Atkinson County.<br />
<br />
Lightning kills one<br />
<br />
There were no tornadoes reported in Georgia last month. However, severe weather hit somewhere in the state 21 separate days in the month. Several Georgians were injured by lightning. One teen was killed in Henry County south of Atlanta June 30 when lightning struck near where he was standing outside his home. Lightning was also reported to have caused several house fires. Another person was injured June 5 when a roof of a pole barn collapsed near Lovett in Laurens County.<br />
<br />
Heat stressed crops particularly in areas that did not receive normal rainfall. In the northeast part of the state, wine grapes were affected by the heat, and in other areas corn and wheat were stressed. However, in spite of the heat, most crops continue to be in good condition.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By Pam Knox <br />
University of Georgia <br />
<br />
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<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-80000798858277835132010-07-05T16:21:00.000-04:002010-07-05T16:21:21.777-04:00Water restrictions loosened in GeorgiaNew watering rules give Georgians more flexibility in their watering habits. Effective June 1, they can now run automated irrigation systems, lawn sprinklers or water by hand daily as long as they do so from 4 p.m. until 10 a.m.<br />
<br />
Under the Georgia Water Stewardship Act (SB370), the new rules state that outdoor water can be applied daily during the specified hours for the purposes of planting, growing, managing or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs or other plants.<br />
<br />
What is called gray water or reclaimed waste water can be used any time for irrigation. Water from private wells or surface water used by the owner or operator of such wells or surface water is also allowed any time.<br />
<br />
Water can also be applied with no time or day limits for the following outdoor uses:<br />
Agricultural operations.<br />
Personal food gardens.<br />
New or replanted plant, seed or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following installation.<br />
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses.<br />
Hand-watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container (including chemical applications).<br />
Horticultural crops held for sale, resale or installation.<br />
Athletic fields, golf courses or public recreational areas.<br />
Installation, maintenance or calibration of irrigation systems.<br />
Hydroseeding.<br />
<br />
The odd-even day schedule remains in effect for nonlandscape outdoor water use like pressure washing by homeowners, car washing at home or for charity, hosing driveways, outdoor cleaning or topping-off pools.<br />
<br />
Even addresses may water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Odd addresses water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.<br />
<br />
Even though Georgia’s drought is in the past and the water restrictions have been loosened, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension experts encourage homeowners to keep a water-saving mindset.<br />
<br />
“During the summer months, outdoor municipal water use increases between 30 to 50 percent,” said UGA Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist Clint Waltz. “Most of this is from outdoor uses like filling swimming pools, washing cars and watering lawns and landscapes.”<br />
<br />
To conserve water, Waltz offers homeowners the following tips:<br />
Select plants that match light conditions and require less water.<br />
Match surface and soil drainage conditions to plant moisture requirements.<br />
Choose plants that grow well in your area.<br />
Preserve established plants. They have an extensive root system and require less water than newly planted ones.<br />
Space plants with their mature size in mind to reduce competition.<br />
Concentrate seasonal color in small, high-impact areas to reduce overall water requirements.<br />
Avoid constructing raised beds under trees due to root competition for water.<br />
Develop a landscape plan before designing an irrigation system.<br />
Incorporate shade trees in the landscape to reduce evaporative water loss.<br />
Select and group plants according to their water needs.<br />
Divide the landscape into water-use zones. Avoid small, irregular-shaped island plantings in turfgrass areas. They are difficult to irrigate.<br />
Consider irrigation sprinklers when designing turfgrass areas or planting beds.<br />
Move or eliminate plants not suited to existing site.<br />
<br />
For more information, contact your local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By Sharon Dowdy <br />
University of Georgia <br />
<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-54771686971677244062010-06-23T19:32:00.000-04:002010-06-23T19:32:00.603-04:00First published study of 2009 Atlanta floods may hold clues to recent urban flooding in other U.S. cities-warnings, tooSeptember is normally a hot, dry month around Atlanta, Ga. The first hints of autumn usually don’t arrive until the end of the month, if then. So it was a surprise last fall when record rainfall turned much of the metro area and north Georgia into a lake, plunging such attractions as Six Flags Over Georgia underwater and in places exceeding flood levels expected only once every 500 years.<br />
Now, in what is likely the first scholarly published study of the floods, a team of climatologists, meteorologists, geologists and hydrologists, led by the University of Georgia, has shown that a convergence of record-setting events, perhaps unprecedented in the area’s history, combined to cause tens of millions of dollars in damages and at least 10 deaths.<br />
<br />
And while the future of such floods is unclear, as are possible ties to global warming, conditions may be ripe for a reoccurrence, said Marshall Shepherd, lead author of the study just published in the online edition of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.<br />
<br />
“More frequent or intense flooding events, coupled with expanding impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots, will affect the ecosystem and the very fabric of societal infrastructure,” said Shepherd. “We are thus going to need revolutionary designs, management and policies if we are going to mitigate the impact of future events.”<br />
<br />
Other authors of the paper are Thomas Mote, John Dowd and Mike Roden, who with Shepherd are in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Pamela Knox of the Office of the State Climatologist; Steven McCutcheon of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Steven Nelson of the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Ga.<br />
<br />
Recent studies have noted that regions of the southeastern U.S. face an increasing vulnerability to climatic extremes because of population growth and the addition of impervious surfaces. The floods this year in Oklahoma City (June) and Nashville (May) point out how serious the issue has become, and even in a sparsely populated area of Arkansas, authorities reported at least 19 dead in a flash flood in June.<br />
<br />
But even the knowledge of an increased threat couldn’t have prepared metro Atlanta leaders for what befell them last September.<br />
<br />
“Just as an example, the U.S. Geological Survey measured the largest flow ever recorded on Sweetwater Creek near Austell, which has a streamflow record dating back to August 1904,” said Shepherd. “And a climatological assessment by the National Weather Service showed that September 2009 was fifth wettest in Atlanta’s history.”<br />
<br />
While newscasters and commentators have turned the phrase “perfect storm” into one of the most-used clichés of the age, no two words describe better what led to the Atlanta flooding, the new research shows.<br />
<br />
First, of course, was the massive and unrelenting rainfall, caused by an odd combination of events. Prior to the record rainfall in north Georgia, a low-pressure system stalled over parts of a three-state area called “ArkLaTex,” pulling moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Many days of rainfall nearly saturated the soil and filled many streams, rivers and reservoirs over the Southeast. Remnants of two tropical storms in the Pacific and Atlantic (and evaporation from the Gulf of Mexico) generated some of the wettest air observed over the Southeast. Inherent instability in the atmosphere and the mountains northwest and north of Atlanta produced “training” or repeated heavy rainfall.<br />
<br />
The spark that set the floods metaphorically afire, though, may have been all the concrete and paving of the metro area itself. The water, unable to soak into the ground, overfilled sewers and drainage and flooded roads, schools, neighborhoods, Interstate-20 and Six Flags Over Georgia, all designed to rarely be submerged.<br />
<br />
Satellite data, multi-sensor Doppler radar estimates, traditional National Weather Service gauges and a relatively new community volunteer network, defined the multifaceted causes of flooding during the event.<br />
<br />
“Though the meteorological set-up was unique, the role of Atlanta’s impervious surfaces and rapid continued growth should not be missed,” said Shepherd “This increase in roofs, roads and parking is known to alter runoff intensity and, in the future, make flooding potentially just as bad and in many cases worse.”<br />
<br />
Another possibility is that large cities may initiate or alter storms through so-called heat-island, convergence and pollution effects. How (or if) this played a part in the Atlanta floods will be the subject of future research by Shepherd, who plans to recreate the event using computer simulations, though without Atlanta included.<br />
<br />
“The September 2009 flooding that definitively ended the drought in Georgia is consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections that the frequency and severity of extreme hydroclimate events such as droughts and floods will likely increase,” the authors say in their study—bad news for areas such as Atlanta, Nashville and Oklahoma City, which have had enough already.<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-43498654419975225762010-06-23T07:21:00.000-04:002010-06-23T07:21:23.781-04:00Test well water to insure it's safe to drink, useClean drinking water is a top priority for families. But homeowners who rely solely on well water can be open to certain risks.<br />
<br />
If your water is provided by a city or county source, it isn’t necessary to have it tested unless an in-house contamination is suspected. Public and municipal water supplies are routinely tested and must meet Environmental Protection Agency standards.<br />
<br />
Homeowner's responsibility<br />
<br />
Well water can become contaminated from various sources and can make homeowners sick. Since there are no federal or state monitoring regulations for private wells, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to make sure their well water is safe to drink.<br />
<br />
Well water may not be safe to drink if:<br />
<br />
You have frequent and unexplained illnesses in your household.<br />
Your neighbors find toxic chemicals in their well water.<br />
You are concerned about the lead pipes or soldering in your home.<br />
You detect a difference in the taste, smell or color of the water.<br />
You are buying a new home with a well that has been out of use.<br />
It comes from an improperly sealed or unprotected well, spring or cistern.<br />
You spill fertilizers, pesticides, oil, gasoline or other toxic substances on the ground in or near the well.<br />
<br />
Water isn't just for drinking<br />
<br />
Poor water quality not only affects drinking water. It can also affect a variety of household functions. Contaminated water used for cooking may affect your health, while an excess of certain minerals can hamper cleaning tasks in laundry or bathroom.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, no single test can provide information on all possible contaminants.<br />
<br />
Bacteriological tests determine if water is free of disease-causing bacteria. But there are many types of tests that cover a variety of bacteria. The most common bacteriological test checks for E. coli and total coliform bacteria, which can come from fecal contamination.<br />
<br />
Mineral tests can determine if the mineral content is high enough to affect either health or the water’s aesthetic or cleaning capacities. This test often pinpoints calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc. An abundance of these minerals can cause hard water, plumbing and laundry stains or bad odors.<br />
<br />
Pesticide and chemical tests are generally performed only if there is reason to believe a specific contaminant has entered the water system, such as pesticides.<br />
<br />
Inspect regularly<br />
<br />
It is important to regularly inspect your well for sources of contamination.<br />
<br />
Other potential problems can exist with the slab, the well screen, the building covering the well or landscaping. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offers well assessment through the HOME*A*SYST program. These self-assessments determine the risks associated with your well.<br />
<br />
If you suspect a problem with your well water, contact a licensed well driller to inspect the well and have it tested for bacteria. This test should be done at least once a year, especially after well water disinfections.<br />
<br />
Have water tested<br />
<br />
Well testing can be done through local UGA Extension offices. Water samples are tested through the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratory in Athens.<br />
<br />
A basic test, which tests for pH, hardness and more than 15 minerals, is $15. An expanded water test, which tests for minerals, soluble salts and alkalinity, is $50.<br />
<br />
Contact your UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 for information on troubleshooting water quality issues or testing your well water for bacteria.<br />
<br />
Contact your county health department for information on how to take proper care of your septic system. Septic system problems can affect well water quality.<br />
<br />
By Paul Pugliese <br />
University of Georgia<br />
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<br />
The early summer following an El Niño winter climate pattern – like we had this past winter -- is typically warmer and drier than normal. With the warmer temperatures and drier-than-normal conditions, soil moisture will quickly decrease over the next two months. However, because of the abundant rain this past winter and early spring, water resources are expected to remain in good shape across the state through this summer.<br />
<br />
Tropical question<br />
<br />
By August the southeastern U.S. will be entering into the heart of the tropical storm season. Will temperatures remain high and rainfall low? At this point, it’s hard to say. Again, this will depend on tropical weather systems. At this time, we do not have the ability to forecast the tracks of tropical storms this early in the season. We can only give general forecasts of the number of storms.<br />
<br />
The number of tropical storms this summer is expected to be above normal. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperatures are currently above normal. This favors the formation of tropical systems, including tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes.<br />
<br />
An additional factor favoring the development of tropical systems is the atmosphere transitioning from an El Niño climate pattern to a neutral climate pattern. Neutral and La Niña climate patterns favor the formation of tropical weather systems. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not expected to have any impact on the number nor on the intensity of tropical weather systems.<br />
<br />
Transition time<br />
<br />
An El Niño climate pattern typically transitions into a neutral pattern for several months. However, it appears that the ocean-atmosphere system will only spend a few months in the neutral pattern before changing into a La Niña pattern.<br />
<br />
Historically, the East Coast, including Georgia, is more likely to be directly impacted by hurricanes when the atmosphere is in the La Niña climate pattern. There is a good chance that atmosphere will be near transition to or in a La Niña by the heart of hurricane season.<br />
<br />
As Georgia enters the winter, it appears that we will be in a La Niña climate pattern. Typically this means that south Georgia can expect winter to be warmer and drier than normal. Across north Georgia, a La Niña climate pattern generally brings a warmer-than-normal winter. For north Georgia, a weak La Niña climate pattern is associated with near-normal to wetter-than-normal winters. However, a moderate to strong La Niña climate pattern is associated with drier-than-normal conditions across north Georgia.<br />
<br />
It is too early to know if this winter will bring a weak, moderate or strong La Niña climate pattern. If the La Niña climate pattern develops this winter, then Georgia may be set up for a drought in 2011.<br />
Up-to-date weather information is available at the website www.georgiaweather.net. Historic climate data is available at the website climate.engr.uga.edu.<br />
<br />
By David E. Stooksbury <br />
University of Georgia<br />
<br />
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<br />
Whether you have flood insurance or not, Allstate recommends you take the following steps as soon as a flood watch is issued, or news of rising water hits, which may prevent thousands of dollars in unnecessary damage.<br />
<br />
-- Keep informed by listening to a battery-operated radio. That way, you<br />
can track the storm or follow the progress of rising water and make a<br />
better decision about any further action that you should take,<br />
including the possibility of evacuating your home.<br />
<br />
-- Fill bathtubs, sinks and containers with clean water so you will have<br />
a ready supply in case the community's water supply becomes<br />
contaminated.<br />
<br />
-- Move outdoor possessions indoors, such as patio furniture, chairs and<br />
bicycles.<br />
<br />
-- Elevate valuable furnishings and possessions from basements or first<br />
floors to upper floors or move them away to higher ground if you have<br />
time.<br />
<br />
-- If advised by local authorities, shut off all utilities including gas,<br />
electricity and water.<br />
<br />
-- Prepare to evacuate by gathering your emergency supplies. Don't forget<br />
flashlights and extra batteries, essential medicines, cash, credit<br />
cards, food, water and a battery-operated radio with extra batteries.<br />
If you have pets, make sure they have an adequate supply of food and<br />
water, in a safe place, on an upper floor, or prepare to take the pets<br />
and such provisions with you. Do not leave pets chained or fenced<br />
outside.<br />
<br />
-- Once rising waters reach your home, school or business, your first<br />
priority is occupant safety. If you're advised to leave, do so<br />
immediately and follow the evacuation instructions given. Travel to<br />
higher ground by whatever means is available and stay there. The<br />
sooner you leave the better your chances of avoiding flooded,<br />
congested roads.<br />
<br />
-- Do not attempt to drive through flooded roads. Turn around and go<br />
another way. If your car stalls, leave it immediately and walk to<br />
higher ground. More people drown in their cars than anywhere else<br />
during floods.<br />
<br />
-- If avoidable, do not attempt to walk through floodwater. Drowning is<br />
the top cause of death during floods, in many cases because people<br />
underestimate the power of even a small amount of water. A mere six<br />
inches of quickly flowing water can knock you down. In areas covered<br />
by standing water, use a long pole or stick to make sure the ground is<br />
firm. Be especially cautious with children.<br />
<br />
<br />
Information on the National Flood Insurance Program can be found at http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Senator Ron Wyden (OR) has proposed an amendment to Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. This Watersense Amendment would add product water efficiency retrofits on a short term basis.<br />
<br />
Take some time and learn more about the amendment at the <a href="http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/action-alert.aspx">Alliance for Water Efficiency</a>. Let your senators know your views on conserving water.<br />
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<br />
For the most part, temperatures across the state were warmer than normal.<br />
<br />
Mostly warmer temps<br />
<br />
In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 65.2 degrees F (3.6 degrees above normal), in Athens 63.9 degrees (33 degrees above normal), Columbus 65.6 degrees (1.4 degrees above normal), Macon 65 degrees (2.3 degrees above normal), Savannah 67 degrees (1.7 degrees above normal), Brunswick 66.8 degrees (.3 degree above normal), Alma 65.9 degrees (.8 degree below normal), Valdosta 68.6 degrees (3.4 degrees above normal) and Augusta 64.3 degrees (1.9 degrees above normal).<br />
<br />
Athens set a record high temperature April 5, when the maximum temperature of 88 degrees broke the old record of 87 degrees set in 1988. Augusta set a record high of 91 degrees on April 6, breaking the old record of 90 degrees set in 1967.<br />
<br />
Mostly below-normal rainfall<br />
<br />
Most of the state received below-normal rainfall, except for a swath of rain in south-central Georgia and a wider band across the northern counties.<br />
<br />
The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 2.63 inches in Valdosta (.94 inch below normal). The lowest was in Brunswick at .89 inch (1.91 inches below normal). Atlanta received 2.56 inches (1.06 inches below normal), Macon 1.36 inches (1.78 inches below normal), Athens 1.86 inches (1.49 inches below normal), Augusta 1.20 inches (1.74 inches below normal), Columbus 1.61 inches (2.23 inches below normal), Savannah 1.40 inches (1.92 inches below normal) and Alma 2.74 inches (.42 inch below normal).<br />
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Record daily rainfalls were set at Columbus with a daily rainfall of 1.04 inches April 25 and Alma with a daily rainfall of 1.36 inches April 20.<br />
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Rabun Gap records most rainfall<br />
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The highest single-day rainfall from Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network stations was 5.13 inches in Rabun Gap in far northeast Georgia April 25. This station also had the highest monthly total of 6.70 inches. Stations near McKaysville and Dillard received 6.58 inches and 6.21 inches, respectively, during the month.<br />
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Two tornadoes were reported. A small tornado hit 2 miles north of Bostwick in Morgan County April 8, knocking down trees and the roof of a chicken house. Another small tornado hit 3 miles north of Cloudland in Chattooga County near the Alabama border April 24, causing tree damage. Severe weather, including high winds, hail of over 1 inch or tornadoes, was observed on five days in April.<br />
The drier conditions improved soil moisture levels through the month, although in some areas the dry conditions impeded planting and germination. Some irrigation of new corn was needed to counteract the dry conditions. Generally, the warm temperatures were favorable for planting, and crops were planted at a rapid pace across the state.<br />
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Pam Knox<br />
University of Georgia<br />
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPageGeorgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-69700405184202547502010-04-27T18:57:00.002-04:002010-04-27T18:57:29.269-04:00Gwinnett Water Plant Holds Open HouseThe public is invited to tour one of Gwinnett County’s two water plants on Saturday, May 1, to celebrate the 36th anniversary of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. <br />
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The Shoal Creek Filter Plant, located at 1755 Buford Dam Road in Buford, will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will be facility tours, a hayride, arts and crafts, complimentary lunch and refreshments. There is no admission fee and kids are welcome to come learn about safe drinking water. <br />
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Gwinnett’s Shoal Creek Filter Plant won the Plant of the Year award for 2010 from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals at its Spring Conference in Columbus recently. This is the second time the plant has won the award. <br />
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The Safe Drinking Water Act was passed by Congress in 1974 and amended in 1986 and 1996. It requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and public groundwater wells in the United States. The law authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set national health-based standards to protect against both natural and manmade contaminants in drinking water. <br />
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Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said, “We’re very proud of our Water Resources staff for winning this award again and for providing our residents with high quality drinking water every day of the year. This operation never stops, and we appreciate all the hard work that goes into it. Safe drinking water is vital for our health and well-being. We take this public health responsibility seriously every day.”<br />
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---Georgia Front Page.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18248749393644673382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933306535920777263.post-37793446516330726882010-04-07T19:55:00.000-04:002010-04-07T19:55:34.855-04:00Candidates for Georgia Governor to Debate Water Issues at UWGThe University of West Georgia will hold a forum on Friday, April 23, to discuss the state’s water issues, highlighted by a debate among the candidates for Georgia governor from both major parties. <br />
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The forum, “Legal and Operational Challenges to Water Conservation,” will feature discussions by water experts from across the region and nation, and will include a luncheon provided by the conference. <br />
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The event will conclude with the gubernatorial candidates sharing their ideas for conservation and management of Georgia’s water resources – a key issue to be faced by the next governor. <br />
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Candidates who have confirmed their participation include Republicans Jeff Chapman, Nathan Deal, Ray McBerry, John Oxendine and Austin Scott and Democrats Carl Camon, DuBose Porter and David Poythress. <br />
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The candidates’ forum will be moderated by Fox 5 Atlanta TV news anchor Deidra Dukes and will begin at 7 p.m. in the UWG Coliseum. <br />
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All events are open to the public. <br />
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For more information, visit <a href="http://www.westga.edu/water">www.westga.edu/water</a>.<br />
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